The 12U Shamrocks won the PONY National Softball Tournament last week held in Sterling, VA. Seventy-two teams were entered in the tournament. The Shamrocks defeated the Scarborough Spirit from Toronto, Canada 9-0 in the final. During the tournament, the Shamrocks went 11-0 and outscored their opponents 101-18. Their opponents included teams from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia.

The team was led by Kelley Engman (10-0 on the mound and a .576 batting average), Carolyn Jones, (3rd base, .568 with 4 doubles), Katie Nutaitis (first base, .475 with 5 triples and 3 doubles), Brie Carmack (center field, .467), Aurora Salter (catcher, .364), Mandy Craig (right field, .346), and Allie Heon, (shortstop, .343). Other team members making valuable contributions were McKinley Cooper (2nd base), Linda Pirro (pitcher and left field), Kelsey Green (left field), Michelle Clohan (2nd base), Brittany Black (left field), Christina Bumpus (catcher), and Elizabeth Jones (right field). (See www.sportscombine.com, youth fastpitch softball, 12U Shamrocks, for team statistics).

For the season, the 12U Shamrocks are 59-9. Five of the Shamrock losses during the season were to 14U teams. Tournament victories this season include the Cherry Blossom tournament, the Battle of Manassas, the D. C. Metros, the Maryland Magic, the Glen Burnie Classic, and the NSA Mid Atlantic Championship.

The 12U Shamrocks will play next week in the ASA National tournament to be held in Loudoun County. There are 83 teams registered for the ASA tournament including 22 teams from California, teams from Hawaii, New York, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Iowa, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Washington and Oregon. The Shamrocks come from all over Northern Virginia. Vienna residents of the 12U Shamrocks are Katie Nutaitis, Kelley Engman and Christina Bumpus. McKinley Cooper and Kelsey Green are from McLean; Carolyn and Elizabeth Jones – Chantilly; Linda Pirro – Centreville; Allie Heon – Leesburg; Aubrie Carmack – Fredericksburg; Aurora Salter – Springfield; Mandy Craig – Manassas; Michelle Clohan – Ashburn; and Brittany Black – Haymarket. The 12U Shamrocks are managed by John Clohan and coached by Scott Heon, Chuck Cooper and Jim Green. Special recognition and thanks go to Jimmy Marr, pitching coach.